


Biking

by HoneyHyucks



Series: The Sweet Life [2]
Category: NCT (Band), NCT Dream
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Anger Management, Bicycle club, ChenJi, Coming Out, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Mentions of Anxiety, Self-Discovery, chensung - Freeform, depictions of mental illness, soccer player!jisung
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:41:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 14,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23813221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HoneyHyucks/pseuds/HoneyHyucks
Summary: Jisung doesn't mind biking through all of Seoul if he gets to know a little more about the boy beside him with the orange-hair, loud laughter, and bright smiles each Saturday.In which Jisung is forced to join Yoonoh's Cycling Club where he meets Chenle and a few reasons to smile.
Relationships: Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Suh Youngho | Johnny, Park Jisung/Zhong Chen Le
Series: The Sweet Life [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1714699
Comments: 51
Kudos: 68





	1. Yoonoh's Cycling Club

inspo: frank ocean's single [biking ](https://open.spotify.com/track/6gtNiLJNLBcV0P6Juenstp)

The sound of grass trampled beneath sharp cleats, adrenaline fueling the intense beating of his heart, and soft puffs of breath from concentration overwhelm Park Jisung. Dark eyes, narrowed in concentration, focus on the black and white ball drifting between his feet. He blocks a steal from the boy who rushes his left. The dark-haired boy twists his foot to keep control of the ball as he storms his way to the opposing goal. Jisung takes a deep breath, using the weight of his foot to push the ball into a stead angle. Then, he quickly hikes his foot back and kicks, sending the ball flying into the goal, past the fingertips of the goalie who watches it hit the net with dread.

Then, Park Jisung turns and flashes a smile, only for his eyes to widen when he finds himself tackled by his teammates as their win registers with those in the stands. The team lifts their captain in celebration, and Jisung tries to smile despite his flushed face and obvious embarrassment. He complains until they finally let him down. Jisung quickly shakes hands with the other team’s captain before heading to the bleachers, where his mother is already running down to hug him.

“I’m so proud of you!” She tells him, pulling back to pinch his cheeks, “My little soccer star!”

“Mom” Jisung groans, “I’m not little anymore.”

It was true. Now, he had to stare down at her. But his mother simply shakes her head.

“You are always going to be my baby.” She tells him, and Jisung makes sure to glare at his teammates who are making teasing gestures behind his mother, “Now, how about a celebration dinner? My treat!”

He has never been one to turn down food, so he nods before shouting at his team who run forward and overwhelm his mom, a sweaty, loud group of boys hugging her and cheering about food. Finally, Jisung simply shakes his head as he watches his team lift his mother and carry her towards her car in much the same manner they had done with him after the game, like some sort of celebratory ritual, cheering and yelling, calling her their free food goddess.

Jisung shakes his head, but he can’t help but smile before following.

Dinner is at a buffet where Jisung spends most of his time scolding his team for making a mess of the food, being obnoxious and loud, and nearly breaking the drink machine.

“Try not to look so much like a stressed father of ten.” Hyungmin teases from where he’s sitting across from Jisung.

Hwang Hyungmin is Jisung’s co-captain and best friend of seven years. Hyungmin was playful, to the point where his antics and words set Jisung off more than he would like. The co-captain seemed to live in a world where he thought he could say or do whatever, so he tended to speak whatever was on his mind. More than once, he and Jisung had gotten into arguments where the captain found himself seconds away from strangling his friend. But when he wasn’t being obnoxious, Hyungmin was a good listener, something Jisung, who was prone to ranting, needed.

The co-captain was also good at cheering people up. He was rarely seen without his Cheshire-like, borderline devious smile that always meant he was up to no good, and he had been there for Jisung during some of his toughest times. He also happened to be one of the best players on their team, after Jisung, of course. From middle school to now, their senior year of high school, Jisung has grown to begrudgingly love the boy across from him, but that doesn’t stop him from rolling his eyes because he can see the mischievousness in Hyungmin’s eyes from across the table. 

“I wouldn’t if you did your part in keeping the kids from embarrassing us.” Jisung tells him before picking up an eggroll and tossing it at one of their teammates who’s trying to chug the pitcher of water the waitress brings them.

“Is it really the kids…” Hyungmin starts slowly before cocking his head with a smirk, “…or are you just naturally emo at heart?”

“I’m not emo.” Jisung defends himself, but his co-captain merely rolls his eyes.

“We just won the first game of the season, yet you’re over there sulking and broody, giving Sasuke Uchiha a real run for his money-“

“I’m not brooding!” Jisung denies, though the way he crosses his arms over his chest and huffs doesn’t help his case.

“Well, you’re not smiling either.” His best friend tells him, “It’s senior year, the best year because it’s the end of our high school lives. I’m pretty sure our team is going to make it to the championships this year and win. If I don’t win prom king, you’ll be a close second. There’s so much to look forward to, but you want to walk around with this invisible stick up your ass-“

“You do realize you’re not helping, right?” Jisung says, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

He would be the first to admit that his temperament used to be better. He used to be the most relaxed person in the room, ready to joke and be just as playful as Hyungmin. But that was back in middle school before his life just seemed to fall apart. His parent’s divorce was the icing on the cake, and Jisung hates how he watched himself change because he knew there wasn’t much he could do about it. As he watched his parents fall out of love and his father distance himself from their family, his patience grew thin and anger seemed to grow in its place.

The smallest things would irritate them and because he wasn’t one for talking about his problems, they grew until he could no longer contain them anymore and he lashed out at whoever had sparked his breakdown. It’s a vicious cycle that Jisung no longer has the energy to try and break. He thought senior year would help reign things in by giving him more reasons to smile than to be bitter. But so far, he’s already in danger of failing a class, his girlfriend broke up with him, and his parent's divorce has been settled and he’s forced to spend Sundays with his father. He has enough on his plate, and he doesn’t need his best friend adding to it.

“You want me to smile? Here.” Jisung forces a smile before rolling his eyes, “Happy now?”

“That was so fake that I’m offended.” Hyungmin replies, placing his hand over his heart as if Jisung’s display has pained him. He snorts out a laugh, elbowing the other players at the table when they laugh as well, “Was it just as painful for you guys as well?”

Jisung rolls his eyes. He grabs his plate and stands, prepared to head back to the buffet just to get away from the co-captain. But Hyungmin mistakes the movement as the captain retreating to the table where his mother and their coach are eating.

“Ah, and now the part where he runs to mommy” Hyungmin narrates with a smirk, making the rest of the team laugh as he motions to Jisung, “Almost eighteen and he’s still so prone to temper tantrums and running off to his mother-“

Jisung is by no means a violent person, but if there’s one thing he hates, its being antagonized and even more than that, someone making him upset when he was perfectly fine before. So what, he didn’t show his emotions as well as everyone else. He was trying not to let the shit show that was his life defeat him, but sometimes, it was hard to pretend. And as much as loves his best friend, Hyungmin bordered on being an asshole most of the time, which is why Jisung doesn’t really feel bad when he throws his plate at the other boy.

Greasy noodles land in Hyungmin’s bleached hair, an eggroll hits him in the eye, and the sauce from the meat stains his green and black soccer uniform a dark brown. Jisung picks up his glass of tea next, still angry, and very much willing to take it out on his co-captain. But the rest of the team, used to the unpredictability of their captain, rush to restrain Jisung. He can feel the cup nearly being pried from his hand, but before their goalie can snatch it, he hikes it at Hyungmin, and the other boy barely dodges it, the dark liquid staining his shirt.

“And now that his sensitivity has reached max capacity, he tries to kill poor Hyungmin.” Hyungmin narrates, jumping back from the table when Jisung tries to climb on top of it to get to him. The team pulls their captain back, plates and cups falling to the ground in the struggle. But the co-captain merely grins, bowing graciously as if he’s in a play before he continues, “Thank you all for coming to the most recent performance of _Park Jisung needs anger management_. Performances by Hwang Hyungmin and the irate but lovely Park Jisung.”

By now, Jisung has managed to kick off his shoe. He picks it up, prepared to throw it at Hyungmin. The team is pulling on the back of his shirt but it’s the man who steps in front of Jisung, blocking his view of the co-captain that has the dark-haired teen freezing, shoe drawn back in his hand. Jisung smiles nervously, dropping the cleat in his hand as he stares at the disappointed face of his coach. It doesn’t help that when he looks over, his mother is standing there concerned and just as disappointed, oblivious to Hyungmin behind her, sticking out his tongue at Jisung. The dark-haired teen swallows thickly, realizing that if things were bad before, he had just made them ten times worse.

Jisung’s first therapy session consists of him shifting awkwardly on a couch, feeling suffocated by the bright, white walls, while a man who looked fresh out of grad school watched him with a small smile. When Jisung realizes its not condescending like his fathers or harboring underlying mockery like Hyungmin’s, he relaxes but only slightly. For the past half hour, he’s done what he considers a good job of giving bare minimum responses to his therapist's questions. Though, the older man wasn’t nearly as pushy as Jisung thought he would be.

He doesn’t press the dark-haired teen to tell him about his past or the source of his anger, and while Jisung is thankful, he wonders the point of him waking up early on a Saturday morning to sit in an office for almost hour. But he’s not too uncomfortable (and his coach had threatened to kick him off the team if he didn’t reign his tempter in), so he sits and waits for 9:45 so that he can leave and have the rest of the weekend to himself, the way he preferred it.

“Is that a uniform shirt?” His therapist, Dr. Moon, asks, motioning to his old, junior year uniform shirt with a small smile, “What sport do you play?”

Dr. Moon, or Taeil, as he had asked Jisung to call him, has a soothing voice. Despite the bright, white walls that remind Jisung of a hospital, his office was very relaxing, and it seemed to reflect his character. There’s a guitar in one corner and a keyboard in another, several pictures of Taeil with a group of men that Jisung figures are from college, judging from the therapists flushed face and wild hair colors, bean bag chairs are tossed by the door, bright, watercolor paintings hang on the walls, and a bucket of candy is on the therapist's desk that Jisung had declined to take anything from upon arriving. Taeil didn’t seem like someone out to probe his mind or teach him how to count to ten when he got too upset. He just smiled kindly at Jisung and asked simple questions in a way that it felt like the teen was having a casual conversation.

“I’m the captain of the soccer team at my school.” Jisung tells him casually, not expecting the older man’s eyes to light up.

“Captain? Wow, you must be really good!” Taeil exclaims, making Jisung’s face flush because he had never given it too much thought.

Soccer was a lifesaver for him. It distracted him from everything, his anger and the things that made him so upset. At first, he hadn’t been very good at it, but he loved the calm that being on the field brought. It was just him, the ball, and the goal – Jisung loved it, so he kept playing. He got better each year, from spending nights sneaking out to the field to kick the ball, seeking to relieve the anger from fights with his father. With his mother’s encouragement and the assurance the Hyungmin would be beside him, he tried out for the soccer team his freshman year of high school and became their teams forward.

His impromptu, late-night practices paid off because, to his own surprise, by his junior year, he was named captain, a title that he managed to keep into his senior year. The sport had allowed him to grow physically, giving him a toned, slender build but it also gave him the mental growth necessary to alert himself to his own faults, such as his impatience and temper. He knew his irrational anger would not disappear overnight, but he was thankful that he at least had the option to sneak away to a soccer field and escape its hold for a few hours if it became too much.

“Are you interested in any other sports?” Taeil asks, returning his attention to the session at hand.

“Uh, I’m pretty good at basketball.” Jisung answers, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. He’d never given much thought to other sports, not when soccer had stolen his heart already.

“What about biking?” Dr. Moon inquires, “Not everyone has the opportunity, but were you taught how to ride? And if so, do you feel comfortable biking long distances?”

“My dad taught me in elementary, but I haven’t ridden much since then.” Jisung tells him. He feels the same pang of discomfort that always comes with the mention of his dad, but he ignores it to continue, “I have stamina from soccer, so long distances shouldn’t be too bad…and um, sorry, but why do you ask?”

“Well, there are two types of therapy, face to face sessions, like what we’re doing right now, and something I like to call hands-on, things like workshops and physical activities that are just as therapeutic and relaxing. Not everyone is comfortable sitting in a chair for almost an hour, talking about their feelings or the things that bother them, which seems to be your case.” Taeil explains and Jisung’s eyes widen. Had he been that obvious about how much he didn’t want to be there? But Dr. Moon is smiling knowingly and he doesn’t look upset. The teen watches as he reaches for a brochure on his desk that he holds out to Jisung, “I thought you might be interested in something more hands on, and now that I know about soccer, I figured it can’t hurt to introduce you to our biking program.”

“Biking program?” Jisung repeats before looking down at the brochure.

 _Yoonoh’s Cycling Club_ is printed in bright red letters at the top. The pamphlet is filled with pictures mostly, of peoples on bicycles, some smiling, others laughing. They seemed to be quite happy as they biked through hot, summer days, the fallen leaves of autumn, and the bright greenery of spring. Jisung knew it was just a form of advertisement, but it gave him the slightest bit of hope. Perhaps biking would provide him an extra distraction in addition to soccer?

“The program is run by my fellow specialist, Dr. Jung, and his fiancé, Dr. Seo, a physical therapist who’s just as dedicated to the biking program’s cause. You see, the biking club is meant to give people a sense of adventure and purpose with a daily schedule and itinerary. Also, people find comfort once they realize they’re traveling with people who are much like them. If you don’t have a bike, one can be provided for you, and lunch breaks are paid for by Dr. Jung and Dr. Seo. It’s a great way to see parts of the city you may not have noticed before, and I’m sure you’ll have a better understanding of why your mother brought you here today.” Dr. Moon tells him with a patient smile, but still, Jisung hesitates. He turns the brochure over in his hands until he’s seen all of the pictures twice and he’s still unable to make a decision. The therapist seems to realize this, because he adds, almost timidly, “And since the cycling club meets on Saturdays, you would only have to do face to face every third Saturday out of the month.”

Jisung’s head shoots up at this. So, he could join the cycling club and only have to sacrifice one Saturday out of the month being surrounded by suffocating white walls or decline the offer and have to sacrifice them all? He knew exactly what he needed to do.

“Where do I sign up?”

The next Saturday, Jisung is standing in the park a few miles from his house.

The entire week, he’d done his best to forget about the fact that he had joined the cycling club or that he even needed therapy to begin with. Hyungmin had apologized for how far things had gone at the buffet, or, in his words “You’ve really got to learn how to stop being so angry, Jisung.” Jisung had apologized as well, mostly because the coach had forced him to, but he knew there was some truth in his best friend’s words. He didn’t want to tell Hyungmin about therapy or the cycling club. It was a little embarrassing that he needed extra help to deal with his emotions and he also didn’t want to give the other boy any more fuel to set Jisung’s temper off.

But he’s terrible at keeping secrets, so he’s avoided spending more time than usual with his friends and his team. The time he’d usually spend with the team at the arcade or watching movies after practice, he spent reacquainting himself with his old bike, and the time he usually wasted dealing with his ex-girlfriend, Mina, he spent biking around his neighborhood, trying to get used to the feeling of the wind in his hair again. His mother was pleased with his efforts, she helped him dig his old bike out of the garage and had even bought him a new helmet and protective gear. She would always be waiting for him after his evening bike rides with a bottle of water and a sweet smile.

His father, on the other hand, was not so happy. He spent the Sunday after Jisung’s first session claiming that Jisung was just sensitive and spoiled. Therapy was for people with serious issues, his father had said, and even then, it wasn’t something to celebrate. Though Jisung told himself that he didn’t care what the older man thought, his words still stung, making Jisung’s heart ache terribly with shame and embarrassment. But the cycling club wasn’t normal therapy, he wouldn’t have to sit in an office or take medication (“And what would be so wrong if you did have to do those things?” His mother had asked when he had told her, frustrated with her ex-husband’s way of getting into their son's head).

By digging up his old bike and riding every evening, Jisung realizes he’s been preparing for the cycling club all along. Like soccer, he isn’t going to quit before he can start. He stands there in sweats and an old gym shirt from middle school, his hair is a bit wild because he woke up late, but his sneakers are laced and the grip on his dark blue bike is steady. He looks around the park, noting how empty it is despite being a Saturday morning, until his eyes land on a group a few feet away, that he hadn’t noticed before. Men and women are seated on their bikes ranging from bright yellows to forest greens, smiling and laughing as they wait.

Jisung stares until he spots two familiar faces at the front, one he recognizes as Dr. Jung. Jisung can see that the therapist is good looking, even from a distance with his neatly styled hair, dark eyebrows, and dimples that seemed to appear whenever he spoke to the man beside him. Jisung figures that the person making Dr. Jung blush is his fiancé, Dr. Seo, who’s just as good looking with eyes that crinkle when he smiles. He seems to be quite enthusiastic and judging by the way the other cyclers laugh after pretty much everything he says, Jisung figures he’s just as entertaining.

Jisung is aware that he could hop on his bike and cycle back home and lie to his mother about his first day with the cycling club, but he knows this is for the best, so he pushes his bike towards the group. He’s relieved to find that no one turns to look at him despite being an unfamiliar face. Perhaps it was an unspoken rule not to make newcomers feel uneasy because even when Dr. Jung motions to him, only Dr. Seo really turns to look at him.

“Jisung, right? Taeil told me about you.” Dr. Jung says before smiling to reveal his dimples, “I’m Dr. Jung, but please call me Jaehyun and this is Dr. Seo.”

“Call me Johnny.” Dr. Seo tells him with a grin, “Dr. Seo makes it sound like I’m fifty going through a divorce.”

“Or it could just mean that you have your doctorate-” Jaehyun tells him, “-making you a doctor”

“I know, but why be a doctor when you can be a Johnny?” Is the other man’s response that has Jisung hiding his smile with his hand.

“Who would want to be a Johnny?” Another voice jokes and when they look over, its to see a dark-haired man in white overalls with a coffee-colored shirt underneath, his face was sunburnt and layers of white healing ointment were slathered in odd places. He was pushing an orange bike towards them.

“Everyone, but maybe not you.” Johnny says to the new arrival, “Does Mr. Wonka know one of his Oompa Loompas has escaped the factory again?”

While Jaehyun laughs and Jisung holds back his own, the dark-haired man takes out his phone and pretends to scan Johnny with it, then he gasps.

“I caught a Snorlax!” He exclaims, acting genuinely shocked as he holds up the captured Pokémon’s image next to Johnny’s face.

Jisung can no longer hold back his laughter. He snickers quietly while Jaehyun shakes his head despite his own amused grin.

“Do you want to be turned into a pancake? You've already got the cooked with melted butter look going on with your face.” Johnny threatens, motioning to the dark-haired man’s sunburn and heavily applied healing ointment before he grips his handlebars, clearly threatening to run the dark-haired man over.

“Please, not again.” Jaehyun interrupts when Dr. Seo grips the handlebars again threateningly, leaving Jisung to wonder just how many times he’s run the dark-haired man over before. He watches as Dr. Jung smiles disarmingly, motioning to him, “Jisung, this is Dr. Kim, Doyoung this is Jisung.”

“Welcome to the club, Jisung. I’m not a regular, but I thought I would come out today and show my support.” Dr. Kim says, “I think you’ll like it. Five years in and Yoonoh’s managed to change more lives than he knows.”

Dr. Jung smiles shyly, dimples visible and face flushed at his colleague's praise.

“You’ll love it, kid.” Johnny tells Jisung before placing his hands on Doyoung’s shoulders, “We even have this burnt Ostridge here to keep you motivated on your first day.”

“Your jealousy is showing, great value Hercules.” Dr. Kim tells him, producing a pair of shades from his pocket that he shoves over his sunburnt eyes, “A sunburnt life is a fabulous one but a Groupon physician like you can’t relate.”

Johnny rolls his eyes as Doyoung brushes past him with his bike to speak to the other people in attendance. Jisung watches him strut with his sunburn and he decides that he likes Dr. Kim too.

“Okay, now that introductions are finished, we should get started.” Jaehyun speaks up before looking around at the group of cyclists, “Do we have everyone?”

“I think so.” Johnny tells him before, looking around as well before he seems to realize something, “Actually, we’re missing-“

“Sorry, I’m late!” A voice exclaims, and when they look back, someone is making their way through the crowd of bikers to the front.

An orange-haired boy appears, damp hair falling into his face, his dark eyes are wide with panic as he pushes a purple bike littered with tiny, bright stars towards them. Jisung watches as he smiles sheepishly, cheeks a faint pink.

“My tire caught a flat, so I had to wait for my brother to get home to get it fixed.” The boy blurts out in a rush, breathing heavily as he tries to catch his breath. Clearly, he had cycled from his house which must have been some distance away.

“That’s okay, Chenle.” Jaehyun tells him with an assuring smile, “We’re just happy you made it.”

Chenle nods, and once he’s caught his breath, he smiles, blinding and bright, making Jisung blink a bit dazedly. He’s not sure why, but when Chenle pushes his bike to what seemed to be a spot he had designated for himself among the group, Jisung follows.

“Chenle, right?” He says as the other boy adjusts his elbow pads, “I’m Jisung, this is my first day doing this.”

He tries not to be awkward, but he can’t fake enthusiasm and at the moment, he wasn’t sure what to expect. But he knew he didn’t want to be by himself. Chenle seemed to be friendly and he looked to be around Jisung’s age as well. He watches as Chenle giggles at his introduction, making Jisung frown. Was he that awkward?

“I know who you are.” The orange-haired boy tells him.

“You do?” Jisung asks, confusion evident on his face.

“We go to the same high school.” Chenle explains, and he doesn’t look the least bit offended that Jisung doesn’t know this. In fact, he smiles somewhat shyly as he adds, “I go to a lot of the soccer games with my brother. You’re really good. The best!”

Jisung can feel his face flush and his ears burn at Chenle’s praise. Usually, he would shrug compliments off, not giving them too much thought because there were better players out there than him, but there’s something about Chenle’s sweet smile and excited tone that nearly makes him drop his bike with the way it distracts him.

“Thanks.” He can only manage to say because he’s awkward and terrible with words.

But Chenle doesn’t look offended or upset, and Jisung likes that about him already. He wants to ask so man questions, what grade Chenle was in, who his brother was, and what he did outside of going to the soccer games, but before he can ask anything, Jaehyun is calling out that everyone is present and accounted for and its time to start. Jisung straps on his helmet and his elbow and knee pads before climbing on his bike.

“Okay people, let’s get those hamstrings working!” Johnny cheers them on as people start to cycle past him, following Jaehyun who leads the way.

“You look like a hamstring.” Doyoung tells him when he cycles past the physical therapist.

“Guys, please watch after the Oompa Loompa, keep him safe up front!” Johnny calls out to the cyclists around Doyoung, who threatens to turn around and make tire tracks out of the other doctor.

Jisung snorts out a laugh as he starts to paddle and when he looks over, Chenle looks amused but used to it all. He falls into a steady pace beside the other boy, and he finds that, under the green trees and with his brown eyes focused on the road ahead of them, Chenle is quite the sight to see. Jisung can’t look away. His bike wobbles and he nearly loses his grip on the handles because he keeps glancing at the other boy so much. Chenle glances at him, obviously concerned but before he can question Jisung’s odd behavior, a red bike comes flying past them, a brunet with a black headband on pedaling faster than Jisung has ever seen.

“You’ll never catch me coppers!” The boy exclaims before laughing loudly.

“There’s no one following him.” Jisung notes with a confused look.

“That’s Yangyang.” Chenle tells him with a small smile, “He has a really bright imagination.”

Jisung figures Yangyang’s bright imagination is whatever made it so that he needed therapy, even if it was hands-on. Suddenly, Jisung wonders why Chenle is a part of the cycling club but he doesn’t spend too much time on it because it’s not his place. Though he couldn’t help but notice that Chenle seemed quite bright and happy. He seemed fine, but then again, so did Jisung, until someone made him angry.

“Do you know where we’re going?” Jisung asks, though he already knows the answer.

To distract himself from his father’s ranting, he would immerse himself in the cycling club’s itinerary. He knows their destination is the Han River, he just wants to fill the silence (and maybe hear Chenle’s voice again).

“The Han River” Chenle tells him with an excited grin, “My brother would take me there all the time when we first moved here.”

“You seem really close to your brother.” Jisung notes to which Chenle’s smile falters a bit, making the dark-haired boy instantly regret his words. He curses himself for possibly making his new friend’s smile disappear entirely.

“W-Well, yeah um…” Chenle stutters a bit. His ears have turned pink, and Jisung just thinks he’s being shy until the orange-haired boy hesitates before admitting quietly, “He’s kind of my only friend.”

“Oh” Jisung mutters, cursing himself again immediately after. Why didn’t he know the right questions to ask by now? He blames it on his lack of initiative when it came to socializing with people who weren’t Hyungmin or the rest of the soccer team. He hates the silence that follows in which he struggles with what to say next and Chenle avoids looking at him.

“I mean, I’m a part of a few clubs and the choir, but I don’t really hang out with anyone outside of that. I’ve made friends, but they all have other friends if that makes sense.” Chenle explains quickly, looking nervous as if Jisung won’t understand.

“A lot of us have known each other since middle school, so it’s not you. You’re great. I wish I knew you before a lot of the other people at our high school.” Jisung tells him without thinking, missing the smile Chenle gives him afterward.

“Who are you friends, Jisung?” The orange-haired boy asks.

“I know it seems like I have a lot, but I really only spend time with my team and Hyungmin, my best friend.”

“Hyungmin?” Chenle repeats, “That’s your co-captain, right? I’ve seen him at the games. He’s good, not as good as you, but a great player. And he seems nice too.”

“You’re only saying that because you haven’t met him.” Jisung says, ignoring the way his stomach tightens at Chenle’s compliment.

“Oh, is he mean?” Chenle asks with an amused smile.

“Literally king of the douchebags.” Jisung mutters, clearly still annoyed that Hyungmin was a part of the reason he was cycling on a Saturday to begin with. Chenle laughs at his words and any growing annoyance quickly fades away.

“Well, at least you seem nice, Jisung.” The orange-haired boy notes.

 _To you_ , Jisung thinks.

“You’re probably the only person who thinks that.” Jisung tells him to which Chenle glances at him curiously.

“Why do you say that?” He asks. The wind blows his hair back and he looks so content amid the early morning city life that Jisung almost forgets to answer.

“My team is always teasing me because I lose my temper easily.” He says because it's technically not a lie and it sounds much better than flat out saying “I have anger issues that made me assault my friend with Chinese food.”

“I’m the same!” Chenle exclaims. Jisung raises a brow in response, prompting the orange-haired boy to explain, “Except I don’t get angry, I get sad… but that’s okay Jisungie, emotions are normal! My big brother tells me it's okay to feel. You shouldn’t be ashamed if you’re a bit more emotional than what’s considered normal. Everyone is different, and different is just fine!”

Chenle’s optimism makes Jisung smile, though his words only left room for more questions. But he doesn’t want to think about Chenle being sad and he thinks its best if he doesn’t know the reason that the other boy is cycling beside him. Jisung knows some things are better left unsaid. The path wrapping around the Han River has them merging into a single file line. Jisung drifts in behind Chenle, staring at the other boy’s bright hair, somehow missing his equally bright smile.

As he takes in the stillness of the river and the calm of the early morning, he realizes he wouldn’t mind doing this every Saturday morning, especially not if Chenle would be there. Jisung’s never been too interested in people, but he wants to talk to Chenle more. It’s the first time socialization has been easy for him and he’s actually wanted to participate and not just listen. They cycle around the river for a while before slowing to a stop. Jisung’s bike skids to a stop among the cluster of other cyclists. He looks for a head of bright orange hair only to frown a bit when he can’t find it.

“Looking for someone?” It’s Johnny, grinning as he pushes his black bike along.

“Chenle” Jisung tells him to which the physical therapist raises a brow before replying.

“His brother’s usually waiting for him at the end, so he’s probably preparing to leave.” The older man informs him, making Jisung panic.

He pushes his bike through the crowd, looking around for his new friend. True to Dr. Seo’s words, he spots Chenle with a taller, older-looking boy who’s pushing his bike that Jisung figures is his older brother.

“Chenle!” He calls out before he can stop himself.

The orange-haired boy turns around at the sound of his name. He looks around before his eyes land on Jisung. He waves goodbye with a bright smile that makes Jisung relax a bit as he waves back, not missing the curious look Chenle’s older brother gives him. He watches Chenle and his brother leave, standing there with his bike, unsure what to do next.

“Hungry?” A voice asks and when he looks over, Dr. Jung is standing there, holding out a small bag of chips and a bottle of water.

“Thank you.” Jisung says politely, accepting the snack and drink.

When he looks behind the doctor, he can see an older couple that greatly resembles him handing out the same chips and drinks to the other cyclists. He’s impressed with how the therapist has managed to include his parents in the program as well.

“So, did you find any reason that you might not want to continue the program?” Dr. Jung asks somewhat nervously as if he’s afraid Jisung will say yes.

The dark-haired boy looks at where Doyoung is chasing Johnny on his bicycle, shouting about Oompa Loompa rights while the other cyclists cheer him on, people are laughing and smiling, Dr. Jung is watching the sight, shaking his head, and Jisung thinks of orange hair, sweet smiles, and brightness, and shakes his head –

“Actually, I want to stay.” He tells the older man, watching as Jaehyun’s face breaks out into a smile, welcoming and warm enough to make Jisung smile as well.

Usually, Jisung despised his anger, but now, he couldn’t help but think that it may have led him to something great.

“Where were you Saturday morning?”

Jisung raises his head from his desk Monday morning to find Hyungmin standing there with two of their teammates behind him, holding a soccer ball though they don’t have practice that evening.

“I came to your house so we could catch the pancake breakfast sale at that café you like.” The blond says, sitting on the desk beside Jisung.

“I went for a run.” Jisung lies to which Hyungmin scoffs.

“Yeah right, the only time you run is when coach is behind you reminding you of your weak calves.” The co-captain tells him before he pats the captain on the shoulder with a grin, “Just admit you were at Mina’s house again, begging for her to give you another chance-“

“Do you really not have _any_ human decency?” Jisung complains, giving the blond a look.

“You’re joking, right?” Hyungmin replies, motioning to their teammates, “Is this not the same guy that dumped a plate of noodles on my head-“

“Like you didn’t deserve it” Jisung scoffs, feeling his irritation grow which could quickly bring out his temper. But he doesn’t care, not when Hyungmin is bothering him. “Stop acting like I overreacted.”

“Well, you didn’t _underreact_ either.” The co-captain tells him, “You just turned me into a food canvas and God forbid what you would have done with that cleat.”

“Want to see?” Jisung challenges, smirking as he leans down to start taking off his shoe, “It’s not a cleat but it’s going to split your head open all the same.”

“He’s so violent.” Hyungmin whines, pushing their two teammates in front of him for protection, “Is this your captain?”

“Yes, and to solidify my position, I’m going to end the line of succession.” The dark-haired soccer captain smirks, holding up his shoe threateningly, “Come here Hyungmin.”

Jisung smirks when their teammates hold Hyungmin captive by the arms. He stands from his desk and approaches with his shoes raised, only to laugh when the co-captain breaks out of their hold and takes off, out of the classroom. Jisung motions for their teammates to follow before he runs into the hallway after his friend. Break period usually meant crowded halls, but he suddenly remembered that they were having a club fair for the organizations on campus so it's more cramped than usual. Jisung pushes his way through the crowd, ignoring the people at the tables that call out to him as he searches for Hyungmin.

“Rule number one, always watch your back, captain.” A voice whispers behind him before he feels a stinging sensation as they pinch his ear.

Jisung is forced to turn around to find Hyungmin standing there with their teammates behind him, laughing.

“You’re going to make me earless.” Jisung complains, slapping the other boy’s hand away.

“Since it’d be Park Jisung walking around with a missing appendage, it might become a trend.” Hyungmin says before pushing his own ears back, “No ears? Fashion!”

Jisung laughs loudly along with the rest of the soccer team and it makes him forget why he was ever mad at his best friend to begin with. He’s smiling at the no ear fashion show Hyungmin has begun among their teammates when one booth, in particular, catches his attention, or rather, the person standing behind it. The orange hair is hard to miss. Jisung finds himself wandering towards the table where a rainbow flag was perched with several rainbow bracelets, among other colors.

“Chenle?” Jisung says, a bit breathless for reasons beyond him.

“Jisung!” Chenle exclaims, and the smile that stretches his cheeks has Jisung noticing the rainbow painted on his smooth skin.

“What booth is this?” Jisung squints, looking around for a sign, but there is none. Suddenly, Chenle looks embarrassed. His face flushes and he seemed to be struggling to find words to respond.

“Seriously, how many rainbows do you need to see to know a miniature pride fest when you see one?” Hyungmin appears, giving Jisung a look that has him blushing in embarrassment at his obliviousness.

“Hi, I’m Chenle!” Chenle greets brightly, smiling at Hyungmin, who merely scoffs at him in return.

“What’s with the hair?” The co-captain says, staring at the other boy’s orange hair that seemed styled in comparison to Saturday.

“Don’t be a dick.” Jisung tells him sharply because Chenle is sweet, positive, and one of the reasons Jisung could now look forward to Saturdays.

“Sorry” Hyungmin replies, though it sounds less than genuine, “Please don’t dump noodles on my head again. It took hours to get the smell out of my hair-“

“Noodles?” Chenle questions, clearly confused and possibly starting to believe that Jisung was some sort of bully.

“Oh, you guys must not be that familiar with each other. Jisung has anger issues that cause him to abuse the person closest to him-“ Hyungmin tries to explain only to receive a shove from Jisung that sends him stumbling back. But the co-captain merely grins, “Kind of like that”

“Are you okay?” Chenle asks, looking concerned that Hyungmin might have gotten hurt.

“He’s fine.” Jisung says quickly, eager to get rid of his best friend before Chenle got the wrong impression of him, “Hyungmin was just leaving.”

The co-captain looks as if he wants to protest, but a sharp look from Jisung has him waving goodbye.

“Uh, yeah, I have to go save the ear fashion industry.” He blurts out, “Bye!”

“O-Okay, bye!” Chenle tries to call after him but he’s already gone. The orange-haired boy frowns, confused, prompting Jisung to step closer to the booth with a desperate look.

“Look, Chenle, I promise I’m not a violent psychopath who goes around hurting people. Hyungmin and I were just joking-“

“I know you’re not a psychopath, silly.” Chenle interrupts with a small smile, “I’m not going to stop talking to you or anything for joking around with your friend. It’s okay, Jisung. Relax.”

“Great.” Jisung breathes out, filled with relief. Chenle hums, smile widening.

“Do you want a bracelet?” He asks, motioning to the array on display. “You’re supposed to pick the one with your flag, and then you can get a cupcake!”

Jisung smiles at Chenle’s enthusiasm before he looks down at the set of bracelets only to frown. He isn’t really familiar with the LGBT flags nor has he paid much attention to his own preferences since he’d been dating Mina for so long before they ended things. So, he simply grabs the black and white bracelet since it matches his outfit. He misses the way Chenle’s smile falters as he puts it on. When he looks up, the other boy is smiling brightly again as he holds out a cupcake with pink, purple, and blue icing.

“I think you’ll like this one the best.”

He hands the cupcake to Jisung who uses the opportunity to grab his wrist. The dark-haired soccer captain leans down, closer to the table until their faces are mere inches apart.

“Will I see you next Saturday?” Jisung asks, looking somewhat hopeful.

“Of course!” Chenle tells him with a bright smile, “You’ll see me every Saturday.”

“Good.” Jisung says, giving a small smile of his own, “See you then.”

He stands and prepares to leave with his cupcake.

“Bye Jisung!” He watches Chenle call out after him.

Jisung maneuvers his way back through the crowd. He finds his team by the sports club booth where Hyungmin is making the other boys laugh.

“Back from your trip to fairyland?” The blond co-captain asks when he spots Jisung.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” The dark-haired boy frowns.

Something about Hyungmin’s words didn’t sit right with him. He watches as the blond shakes his head before he spots the bracelet on Jisung’s arm. He grabs the captain’s wrist, holding the black and white bracelet up, and grins.

“Never mind then.” He says, dropping Jisung’s wrist before brushing past him, instantly resuming his joking and laughing with the team who follows.

Jisung frowns, unsure of what to make of the interaction. He toys with the bracelet before he shrugs and takes a bite of his cupcake. It’s sweet and soft and Jisung is not surprised that Chenle is a good baker, alongside being some sort of angelic, embodiment of positivity during the day. As he helps himself to the cupcake, he thinks of bicycles and warm smiles. Hyungmin’s words are forgotten because now, Park Jisung only cares about getting by until Saturday. 


	2. Sailor Violet and Cheonggyecheon Stream

When Saturday rolls around, Jisung makes sure to wake up early.

He breezes through his morning routine and is out the door, calling out to his mother that he’s off to Saturday cycling, all in under an hour. He’s pushing his bicycle out the front door when he looks up and sees a familiar face on his doorstep that makes him stumble, hitting his bike against the wall.

“Mina” He greets when he finally regains his footing, “No offense, but why are you here?”

Mina and Jisung began dating in middle school, which mostly meant awkward hand-holding and cheesy text messages until they hit high school. Jisung grew so comfortable with her presence that he thought it would be a permanent fixture in his life, which is probably why their breakup at the beginning of senior year was such a shock (and the most talked about topic at their school for a while). Mina was sweet, kind, and in Jisung’s opinion, very pretty with her array of bright hair colors and cheerful smiles. Even now, her bright violet hair is pulled into a ponytail to reveal warm, brown eyes that watch Jisung as he closes the front door before turning to approach her.

“Hyungmin said you were acting weird, so I thought I would come check on you.” She answers finally, falling into step beside him as he guides his bike to the sidewalk.

“What exactly did he say?” Jisung asks with a frown because his best friend had a bad habit of exaggerating things, especially to Mina. Hyungmin claimed that it was to make her feel bad enough so that she might give their relationship a second chance, but Jisung isn’t really sure if he even wants that anymore.

“Just that you threw a plate of hot food in his face, tried to beat him with a cleat _twice_ , and you’ve been acting strange.” Mina explains simply with a shrug, as if she’s both used to hearing about Jisung’s aggressive tendencies and Hyungmin’s inclination for dramatics.

“First of all, that food was cold-“ Jisung starts, only to snort out a laugh when Mina gives him a look. He raises a hand in surrender before saying, “Hyungmin’s just upset because I didn’t spend time with him last weekend.”

“You still spend Sundays with your dad, right? How are things between you two now?”

“The only time he’s not yelling or calling me a complete failure or undeserving brat is when we talk about soccer. Basically, he still hates me.” Is his casual response that makes Mina frown.

“He doesn’t hate you, Jisung.” She tells him, “You’re his son and he loves you, he just has a hard time showing it. It’s kind of like tough love. It hurts but they mean well.”

Jisung wants to say that he doesn’t want tough love. He wants his dad to hug him, to ruffle his hair, smile, and tell him that he loves him and he’s the best like he’s seen Hyungmin’s father do with his best friend. He doesn’t want his father to be so harsh all of the time. Sometimes Jisung just needs a hug and a soothing voice. One night, during a heated argument with his father, he’d said just that, crying to the older man that he wanted a hug or some sort of affection that he thought children deserved. His father had just told him to grow up before leaving him in the kitchen alone, miserable and heartbroken. After that, Jisung decided to close himself off. He no longer actively sought affection or love from anyone. He distanced himself from his emotional needs and never gave too much thought to his personal relationships. He no longer went to people. Instead, he decided that whoever came to him was meant to be in his life.

Mina, who was open with her affections and made him feel secure, was already there and so was Hyungmin and the soccer team. He had the role of being their captain, Mina’s boyfriend, and the overachiever Park Jisung. When all of these things came together and he succeeded in them, his father loved him and Jisung felt great. But now that Mina’s broken up with him, his soccer career has been threatened by his anger, and he’s already failing one of his classes, he’s become a nobody again in the eyes of his father. If he were more attached to his emotions, Jisung would realize that the distant ache he felt was sadness and longing, but instead, it just makes him angry and bitter, so he keeps a safe distance from it all.

“Also, you’re not a failure, Park Jisung.” Mina speaks up again. She grabs his hand and holds it up in a celebratory fashion, bouncing on her heels with a cheerful smile, “You’re the best!”

“Ah, thanks Mini.” Jisung replies, face flushed when he reaches over to pinch her cheek. Mina pouts at the nickname she’d earned in middle school for being on the shorter side of the student body as she just barely reached Jisung’s shoulder.

Though he had managed to rid himself of any extra emotions, outside of anger (which he couldn’t seem to shake as easily), he realized that the emptiness he felt after his breakup with Mina was sadness and fear. It was easy, after arguments with his father, to call Mina for comfort. She’d force him to go to karaoke and sing TWICE songs until Jisung’s voice cracked and they both ended up clutching their stomachs from laughter or they would try to make recipes from scratch, only to give up halfway through and order pizza, surprising the pizza man with their flour-covered faces. Mina liked to dye her hair bright colors, she liked glitter in her makeup looks, and she liked to have dates with her girlfriends every chance she got. She laughed a lot and made Jisung feel better about himself because someone as sweet and friendly as Mina liked him.

But most of all, Jisung liked Mina because she _understood_. They both had images to maintain. Mina’s mom pushed her when it came to cheerleading and beauty, while her friends seemed to nominate her as the typical, popular head cheerleader. Mina complained about it being cliché and did her best to show that she wasn’t the stereotypical snob or bully, but by the time high school rolled around, it was already too late. They became walking high school clichés, the bitchy cheerleader and her emotionally detached, soccer captain boyfriend. But Mina’s mother liked that her daughter was the popular girl that she could never be and Jisung’s dad liked that he had a leadership position, was respected in the school, and had a pretty girlfriend to go along with it, so they sucked it up for their parent's sake.

And it wasn’t all bad because Jisung genuinely liked Mina and her obsession with all colors of the rainbow, Sailor Moon, and fuzzy socks. When she caught him after soccer practice one day and quietly explained that they would be better off as friends, Jisung had spent the rest of the evening kicking soccer balls into the horizon in a daze. The suddenness of it all left him in a state of confusion because Mina hadn’t shown any signs that they were headed for a breakup and she hadn’t given much of a reason as to why she wanted them to part aside from her claim that she needed time to think and it would be better for them both. “That just means that she wants to date someone else.” Hyungmin had told him with a shrug after Jisung had told him about the breakup. He had sat across from his best friend at their favorite café when Hyungmin shrugged and added, “That just means that you have to figure out who and remind them that you’re better than whoever the hell this random is.”

The first few months of his senior year were dedicated to getting Mina back which mostly meant Hyungmin sending flowers, leaving notes, and trying to convince Mina to come back on Jisung’s behalf because Jisung was too anxious to do anything himself. He had been afraid to tell his father about the breakup because he felt like he had failed at keeping Mina happy and failure meant lectures and arguments, all of which Jisung found he didn’t have the strength for, not when his main source of energy was gone. But as the months passed and Hyungmin’s plan continued to fail, Jisung’s loneliness faded into contentment.

Though he missed spending more time together, he grew to find enjoyment in the random moments where the soccer team would interrupt cheerleading practice wearing zombies masks or Jisung would be forced to spend the day with a face full of make after Mina recruited him to be her model because “See, I _can_ contour!” she’d tell her friends before pulling Jisung forward suddenly. He was okay with being just friends, but he maintained their perfect couple façade with his father and he let Hyungmin continue his campaign of reuniting what he thought was their school’s future prom king and queen.

“So, where are you headed? And what’s with the bike?” Mina asks, breaking him away from his thoughts. She tilts her head curiously, stray strands of violet hair falling into her brown eyes, and Jisung quickly looks away before he gets drawn in. 

“I kind of joined a cycling club, and we bike around the city on Saturdays.” He informs her finally.

He doesn’t see the use in lying. Unlike Hyungmin and his father, Mina wasn’t judgmental, and she seemed to understand Jisung without him having to say much. He knew she wouldn’t make fun of him if he told her the true purpose of the cycling club, but he wasn’t ready to even admit to himself that it was for therapeutic purposes. For now, he simply tells himself that its to help him relax and make new friends, like Chenle. The thought of the orange-haired boy makes him smile and push his bike the slightest bit faster.

“Cycling club? That sounds like fun!” Mina exclaims, eyes wide with excitement, “Do you think I can join? Or is it members only?”

“I don’t think they’ll mind if you come with me.” Jisung tells her. The violet haired girl claps excitedly making Jisung shake his head but grin nonetheless at her excitement, “They provide bikes and we’re not traveling too far today.”

He didn’t see the harm in her tagging along. Mina was friendly, she got along with everyone she met. Jisung knows she’ll get along fine with Chenle, who seemed quite similar to her personality-wise, and it gave Jisung relief knowing that Chenle could see that not all of Jisung’s friends were as rude and annoying as Hyungmin. The rest of the walk to the park is spent with Jisung and Mina catching up on what they’ve missed in each other’s lives since the breakup. Jisung tells her about a potential championship nomination for soccer while Mina fills him in on her feud with her cheer coach about the restrictions preventing boys from joining the team. Before they know it, they’re approaching the park. The sight of bright bicycles, warm smiles, and the smell of fresh air makes Jisung relax. He leads Mina towards where Dr. Jung and Dr. Seo are distributing bikes.

“Jisung, I’m glad you came back.” Dr. Jung greets him with a warm smile, “And you brought a friend. Welcome!”

“Dr. Jung, this is Mina. Mina, this is Dr. Jung and Dr. Seo – er, _Johnny_.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mina.” Dr. Seo says before pushing a violet bike covered in Sailor Moon stickers towards her, “Today you can be Sailor Violet.”

“I love it!” Mina exclaims cheerfully as she accepts the bike.

Jisung smiles at the sight before he finds himself looking around, only to frown when he doesn’t spot a head of familiar orange hair.

“No worries, he should be here any minute.” Dr. Jung assures him with a knowing smile, making Jisung’s face flush.

Luckily, in that same moment, he spots a familiar face biking towards them. Chenle, for the most part, looks fine. His hair is pushed back by a headband and he’s wearing a hoodie thought its somewhat sunny out, but when he finally skids to a stop in front of them, Jisung’s frown deepens at the sight of the bags under the other boy’s eyes or just how out of it and anxious the orange-haired boy looks.

“Sorry I’m late!” He blurts out, face flushed from embarrassment, though unlike last time, he doesn’t provide an explanation. But Dr. Jung simply smiles calmingly at him in response.

“That’s okay Chenle. We’re still waiting for others to arrive.” The older man assures him gently.

Chenle looks visibly relieved. He sighs in relief before pushing his bike off to the side, out of the way of the bike exchange, and Jisung doesn’t hesitate to follow.

“Are you always late?” He asks the other boy. Chenle looks up at him and smiles.

“Yes, but I really can’t help it!” The orange-haired boy replies, face a bright red.

“I believe you.” Jisung tells him, smirking at Chenle’s flustered state before a cough reminds him of the girl beside him, “Oh yeah, Chenle this is Mina my… _friend_. Mina meet Chenle, my cycling buddy.”

“He’s so _cute_.” Jisung can hear Mina gasp and he’s sure that if their bikes weren’t separating them, she’d reach over and pinch Chenle’s cheek. Instead, he watches as she waves enthusiastically with a warm smile, “It’s nice to meet you Chenle! Kang Mina now known as Sailor Violet at your service!”

Jisung shakes his head when Mina mock salutes only to end up smiling when Chenle covers his mouth and giggles, clearly amused.

“I-It’s nice to meet you too.” The orange-haired boy replies with a shy smile.

“I like your bracelet, Chenle.” Mina says, pointing to the rainbow bracelet on the boy’s wrist.

“I like yours too.” Chenle tells her, making Jisung frown in confusion.

He looks over at the bracelet on Mina’s wrist he hadn’t noticed before. It was striped, magenta, yellow, and cyan, and it looked to Jisung like any other bracelet. Maybe he was missing something? But before he can question what it is, Dr. Jung and Dr. Seo have made their way to the front with another biker.

“Alright everyone, last week we had our beloved orange, Dr. Kim Doyoung here with us. Today, we have another special guest.” Dr. Seo announces, motioning to the man on the bike between him and Dr. Jung, “He has a Ph.D. in literature and is an award-winning poet. Everyone welcome Dr. Lee Taeyong!”

The cyclists clap, cheer, and smile to welcome the man on all black bike. His hair is black, his clothes are black, and he’s wearing dark shades.

“As it is often stated in many great books, today we will become one with nature.” Taeyong greets them with a calming smile.

“Let’s also hope he becomes one with the bill when we stop for lunch.” Dr. Seo mutters, making Dr. Jung smack his shoulder. The brunet doctor gives him a look, “What? He’s got noble peace prize money. We don’t have that, honey.”

“Alright everyone, our destination today is Cheonggyecheon Stream, where we’ll have a nice treat to cool us off.” Dr. Jung tells them before pedaling off with a gentle, “To Cheonggyecheon we go!”

“Okay people, if you want to get those hamstrings going just follow the melancholy brick road.” Johnny calls out, referring to Taeyong who’s decided to recite a poem about biking as he pedals along behind Jaehyun.

“Think you can keep up?” Jisung teases Mina with a playful smirk.

“Have you seen these quads? Of course, I can!” She replies before grinning and motioning to Chenle, “Come on Chenle, let’s leave Jisung in the dust where he belongs!”

Jisung glances at the orange-haired boy, not expecting sweet Chenle to ever betray him, but then he watches as the boy in question nods. Jisung feels as if he merely blinks and Mina is pedaling off, speeding past other cyclists, and then he watches as Chenle grins at him before following, laughing loudly as he calls after the violet-haired girl.

“Hey! Wait for me!” Jisung calls out pathetically, though he can’t help but smile as he hurriedly pedals to catch up with the others.

Jisung’s last memory of Cheonggyecheon Stream is a family day his mother planned following the divorce. She wanted to show him that things were still the same despite her and his father purchasing separate houses. But, after hours of listening to his father’s passive-aggressive jabs at his mother, Jisung decided to speak up in her defense, which ended with him and his father getting into an argument until the older man stormed off. That night, Jisung spent hours drowning his tears in the water as his mother reminded him that none of it was his fault. Jisung never believed her and he also never came back to Cheonggyecheon Stream until now. He’s sitting with his shoes in his lap, his feet in the river, and a cup of vanilla ice cream in his lap. Mina and Chenle’s knees are brushing against his and their bikes are resting behind him. The laughter and chatter of the other cyclists fill the air and Jisung smiles in contentment. When he looks over, he shakes his head at the sight of Mina with strawberry ice cream and sprinkles smeared around her mouth.

“You’re making such a mess.” He complains, reaching over to wipe her mouth.

“It’s called not letting my ice cream melt.” Mina replies, referring to Jisung’s melted ice cream.

Chenle laughs at their bickering.

“Are you sure you two aren’t siblings?” He says with an amused grin but when Mina cringes and Jisung looks disgusted, he frowns, “Did I say something wrong?”

“No.” Jisung tells him quickly. He’s not sure why he feels the need to quickly reassure Chenle, but he doesn’t want the other boy to think he’s done something wrong.

“It would be weird to think about us as siblings because Jisung and I used to date.” Mina explains before she shrugs, “But that was back in middle school. We’re just friends now, right Jisung?”

“Right.” Jisung nods hesitantly, resisting the urge to frown. It was only just a few months ago that Mina had sat him down and told him that she didn’t want to be together anymore, so why was she making it seem like years had passed?

“Wow, you guys get along really well for exes.” Chenle says with a look of amazement, “But I can see why. You’re really nice Mina and Jisungie too.”

“Aw, Chenle, you’re nice too.” Mina places a hand on her chest, as if she’s touched by Chenle’s words before she exclaims, “Group hug for Team Nice!”

“Oh no” Jisung groans but before he can stop her, Mina crawls over on her knees behind Chenle and Jisung, wrapping her arms around their neck and pulling them close until their faces are pressed together. Jisung is ready to scold her but then Chenle’s loud laughter catches his attention and when he looks over, the orange-haired boy’s smile is impossibly wide, and his cheeks are pink as he laughs at Mina’s antics. Finally, Mina releases them, returning to her position beside Jisung. 

“Well, Chenle, do you have any friend-exes?” The violet-haired girl asks as she sticks her feet back in the water, “Or are you dating someone?”

“Mina!” Jisung scolds when Chenle chokes on his chocolate ice cream. He pats the orange-haired back as he turns to glare at the girl beside him, “You can’t just ask people who they’re dating, Sailor Violet.”

“Of course, you can!” Mina exclaims before staring at him pointedly, “Jisung, who are you dating?”

“No one.” He answers, “But-“

“See! It works, and don’t act like you aren’t curious too, Park Jisung.” Is her response before she peers around him to look at Chenle, who’s recovered from his coughing fit, “So, Chenle, are you dating anyone?”

Jisung isn’t sure why, but when he looks at Chenle, he can’t help but wipe nervously at his jeans as he awaits the other boy’s response. He tells himself its not a big deal, though he’s just as curious as Mina is. But the last thing he wants to do is pressure Chenle. And he’s not sure why, but he feels a sense of relief when Chenle finally shakes his head.

“I-I’ve never really dated anyone.” The orange-haired boy admits. His ears are bright red, but he doesn’t look ashamed of the fact, just more so shy about admitting it.

“That’s okay. You’re not missing anything.” Mina is quick to assure him. She kicks her feet happily in the water as she looks around at the other cyclists, distracted when she tells him, “Boys are useless and you’re too pure for them, Chenle.” 

Jisung found himself confused. Was Mina trying to imply something? Or was she just rambling again? He knew she had the tendency to do so. But Chenle is smiling at her words and Jisung hates being out of the loop, so he simply scoffs.

“Do you ever make sense Kang Mina?” He says, poking her on the cheek lightly.

“Were you always this oblivious Park Jisung?” Is her response when she pokes him back.

“Who are you dating? Since you’re so keen on putting everyone else on the spot.” Jisung replies, watching as she hesitates.

The violet-haired girl kicks her feet in the water, suddenly shy.

“Uh, well, I’m not dating anyone, but I do have a crush on someone from my cheer squad.” Mina admits quietly making Jisung frown in confusion.

The cheer squad was an all-girls team (which Mina was currently petitioning to change), so did that mean… Jisung shakes his head. If that were the case, then wouldn’t he be the first to know? He judges by Mina’s grin that she’s pulling one of her pranks. He’s not surprised when Chenle, who’s not familiar with Mina’s antics, perks up suddenly.

“Is she pretty?” The orange-haired boy asks with a smile.

“The prettiest!” Mina exclaims before twirling a strand of her violet hair and admitting with a grin, “She’s kind of the reason my hair is this color. We had a sleepover last weekend and we both agreed on violet hair dye. You know how they have couples’ sweaters and things like that, it’s like couples hair!”

Mina laughs in her excitement and it makes Chenle giggle. Jisung frowns as the realization sets in.

“Choerry?” He guesses, using the nickname for the only other violet-haired girl on the cheer team. Choerry, also known as Choi Yerim, was Mina’s best friend.

Mina’s face is bright red when she nods in confirmation, and Jisung’s had enough of her little prank, but before he can say anything, Taeyong, Dr. Jung, and Johnny are passing behind them, catching their attention.

“Spring winds have begun, sweeping away signs of depression like the stream of Cheonggyecheon-“ Taeyong recites poetry as he walks along, motioning to the stream as he goes, making Johnny gasp loudly.

“The prose, the _context_ , literary King!” Dr. Seo hypes him up, making Dr. Jung swat him on the shoulder. Johnny looks at him pointedly, “If you want another sherbet cup on the house, you’ll follow my lead here, honey.”

Dr. Jung rolls his eyes at his husband, and Jisung shakes his head in amusement as he watches them pass.

“My cone is melted.” Mina complains with a pout.

“I’ll get you a new one.” Chenle tells her, already standing to his feet.

“Really? You’re the best Chenle!” Mina exclaims making the orange-haired boy smile shyly.

“I-It’s no problem.” He stammers out before quickly wandering off in the direction of the ice cream shop.

Jisung watches him go only to look down when he feels Mina lean in his close and place a hand on his wrist.

“I like this, Jisung, this cycling club and Chenle, I think both will be good for you.” She tells him, and when he looks down, she’s pulling at the bracelet on his wrist. It’s the black and white one he’d received from Chenle at the organization fair. He’d been wearing it nonstop since then. But now, he watches as Mina pulls it off and replaces it with her magenta, yellow, and cyan one. She dangles the black and white bracelet in his face, “Because let’s face it, you, Park Jisung, are the most clueless boy in all of Seoul!”

When Jisung reaches for her, she jumps back out of his grasp, grinning as she holds up the bracelet. Then, she turns and takes off, and Jisung doesn’t hesitate to give chase.

“Chenle!” Mina calls out because he hasn’t gone far and it doesn’t take long for her to catch up to him, “Run! There’s a hetero behind me and it’s almost six feet!”

Chenle laughs loudly when Mina grabs his hand, pulling him along. Jisung takes in the sound that makes his heart race and the way Chenle’s eyes crinkle and in his distraction, he promptly trips over a bike and hits the ground. But, as Mina and Chenle call out to ask if he’s okay, he simply rolls over, stares up at the sun, and that day at Cheonggyecheon, Park Jisung _smiles_. 

“What’s one plus one?”

Park Jisung tiredly lifts his head from where it rests on the cafeteria table. Sundays meant spending the night at his father’s house and last night they had gotten into a particularly bad argument. Jisung spent well into the early morning at the soccer field to avoid going home. By the time he finally managed to muster up the strength and courage to do so, it was only a few hours before school was meant to start. Now, he’s exhausted and irritated, and he just wants a bit of rest before he has to endure an entire day of classes. But now Hyungmin has slid onto the seat across from him with the soccer team surrounding them, laughing, joking, and obnoxiously loud. Jisung wants to scold them, but he also doesn’t want to hear their complaints about him being a buzzkill, so he lets it go to blink at Hyungmin.

“Two” He answers finally, raising a brow, “Why?”

“Just to make sure that you understand that by missing the Saturday the week before and last weekends Saturday that it makes two weekends in total that you’ve been mysteriously disappearing.”

“I don’t mysteriously disappear. I just spend time for myself.”

“Time that doesn’t include me or the team-“

“You do realize I have a life outside of soccer, right?” Jisung rolls his eyes.

“No, this is genuinely surprising news for me.” Hyungmin tells him, blinking innocently as if it were truly shocking, making the rest of the team laugh, “Please detail this supposed actual life you have.”

“Sorry, you’re not included in it.” Jisung retorts, feeling his annoyance grow which would eventually cause his temper to spike. Why couldn’t Hyungmin see that he was tired and not in the mood to be bothered?

“Oh, that was a good one. You’re getting better with your comebacks, captain.” Hyungmin tells him with a grin, “So, did you speak to Mina Saturday?”

“Actually, we spent the day together.” Jisung informs him watching as his best friend’s grin widen.

“I told you I’d get you two back together.” The co-captain says with a shrug, “I just had to make you seem as pathetic as possible, which isn’t really hard these days.”

Before Jisung can clarify that Hyungmin isn’t the next cupid and that he and Mina aren’t back together, he watches as his best friend’s grin is reduced to a shocked look.

“What is it?” Jisung asks worriedly.

“Uh, don’t look now cap, but I think your fairy friend is in trouble.”

Jisung frowns at Hyungmin’s words, but what he sees when he turns around already has him jumping out of his seat, storming across the cafeteria, and ignoring the protests of his teammates. One thing Jisung hates more than arguments with his dad or his uncontrollable temper is bullies. He’s never been personally bullied since the kids at school seemed to hold some sort of respect for him in middle school that turned into admiration by the time he hit high school. But he’s seen quiet, underserving kids get picked on and sometimes hurt, for simply being themselves, and each time, Jisung found himself intervening. But what he thinks he hates worse than bullies is seeing _Chenle_ be bullied. The orange-haired boy seemed to have been sitting alone, picking at the fruit on his tray. But now, he was surrounded by a group of guys who appeared to have snapped his rainbow bracelet and were throwing the broken pieces in his face.

“What the hell are you doing?” Jisung grits out, pushing the boy closest to Chenle away.

“Relax, Jisung. We’re just making decorations.” Jisung recognizes the dark-haired boy as Jung Jangwon. He’s smirking as he dumps the remains of Chenle’s bracelet on the floor, “And don’t you have other things to worry about like Mina breaking up with you to go play house with Choerry in the girl’s locker room?”

Jisung hates the way the cafeteria erupts in gasps. He also hates that when he looks over at the cheer squad’s table, the cheerleaders are staring at their captain and co-captain in disbelief, Choerry looks embarrassed, and Mina looks outright upset. Jisung can already feel his fist clench. He knows he’s going to hit Jangwon because it’s the only way he can think of shutting him up. But before he can even move, Hyungmin is there, trying to pull him away.

“Uh cap, let’s not get involved. If they want to make decorations with the fairy, just let them. We can’t risk you getting suspended for the game Friday-“ The co-captain says, tugging on Jisung’s sleeve adamantly.

“You’re kidding, right?” Jisung scoffs, attempting to push him away.

“You should listen to Hyungmin.” Jangwon speaks up, “Chenle here loves rainbows, and we just wanted to make him his own as a special gift, handmade by yours truly.”

The entirety of the cafeteria is forced to watch as Jangwon and his friends pick up the different colored condiments on the table, squeezing them in Chenle’s face. Jisung shoves Hyungmin away and punches Jangwon. A crunching sound can be heard before the cafeteria erupts in chaos. Arms wrap around Jisung’s waist and several hands grab his shoulder to pull him back, but it doesn’t stop him from grabbing a lunch tray and throwing it at Jangwon, watching as the object hits the dark-haired boy square in the face. Jangwon’s nose is a bloody mess, but he’s still reaching through the crowd of struggling people for Jisung. The other kids have gathered around to witness the fight, and Choerry and the other cheerleaders are throwing fruit at Jangwon and his friends. The cafeteria is filled with cheering and shouting, Hyungmin is scolding him above the noise, and the soccer team is restraining him, but Jisung is just glad that when he looks up, he can see Mina gently guiding Chenle out of the cafeteria, using her cheer jacket to cover them both as they escape.

The sight lets Jisung know that, even as he’s dragged away for punishment, it was worth it.

“Care to explain why you of all people are in my office?”

Jisung stares hesitantly at the older woman seated at the desk across from him. Principal Irene is a small, dark-haired woman with a strict policy for disruption and noncompliance. Jisung is sure that he’s facing suspension or at least a week’s worth of detention. But instead, she’s staring at him patiently as she awaits his answer.

“They were bullying Chenle.” Jisung tells her, feeling himself grow tense as he thinks about the situation again, “I hate bullies, so I tried to stop them.”

“Ah yes, I was worried about that when Chenle became enrolled here. He’s very different, and that makes him an easy target.” Principal Irene explains, staring at him carefully, “Do you know why they were bullying him, Jisung?”

“No” Jisung frowns, “Just something about rainbows…Chenle likes rainbows. He collects bracelets and things like that, but there’s nothing wrong with it.”

“You’re right. There’s nothing wrong with liking rainbows, Mr. Park.” Principal Irene replies with a small smile. She looked both sympathetic and amused, and it made Jisung wonder if he was missing something. But then, her expression returns to its serious state, “Well, I was worried about Mr. Zhong, but seeing as he has someone like you, who seems to really care about his wellbeing, I think everything will be just fine. Still, Jangwon has a broken nose and the disruption in the cafeteria cannot go without some sort of discipline. Your coach has found out about the incident and he is not happy. Since I am touched by your bravery, I will not add extra punishment aside from a written apology to Jangwon, to appease his parents. Since it’s written, you don’t have to be sincere, just make it seem like you’re sorry about his injuries so I can have an excuse not to suspend you, Mr. Park. As for your actual punishment, I will leave it in the hands of your coach.”

Jisung breathes a sigh of relief after taking in the principal’s words. He didn’t want to apologize to Jangwon, but he figured it was the least he could do to help Principal Irene since she was letting him walk away from the fight without suspension. He was relieved that she understood and that things had turned out better than he thought they would. But he couldn’t ignore a certain concern.

“Is Chenle okay?” He asks, watching as Principal Irene smiles at his concern.

“As you may know, Chenle is on the more anxious side. Jangwon’s actions have put him in a state of… _panic_ , so we’ve sent him to the nurse and his brother will be picking him up shortly.”

Jisung nods though he found Principal Irene’s explanation to be a bit worrisome. He noticed that Chenle always seemed a bit on edge when he arrived late for cycling class, he worried a lot about small things, like saying the wrong thing to Jisung, and he was more so on the timid side. Principal Irene also failed to mention Chenle’s parents. Were they not informed of the situation as well? Why was Chenle’s brother the one who would come pick him up? Did his parents not care? As Jisung sat there, the more he thought about things, the more he felt himself grow tense and overwhelmed.

“You are dismissed for the rest of the day, Mr. Park. Please take this time to reflect on your actions.” Principal Irene tells him, “You are very brave for standing up to Mr. Zhong’s bullies, but please make sure that next time you do so with words and not your fists or our lunch trays. Also, I would prefer not to see you in my office again. Take care, Mr. Park.”

Jisung nods at the older woman’s words. He gives a respectable bow, and the last thing he sees before leaving the office is Irene’s warm smile. He leaves the Principal’s office and steps into the hallway, prepared to head to the nurse’s office to see if he can catch Chenle before his brother arrived. But as soon as he makes it outside, he finds his coach standing there, arms crossed over his chest, clearly upset. Park Chanyeol has been his coach since sophomore year, and Jisung could only count a handful of times where the older man wasn’t laughing, joking, or smiling. But now, it was clear that Jisung was in trouble. Still, it doesn’t stop him from smiling sheepishly and greeting-

“Coach-“

“Really Jisung?” Coach Park interrupts, “Assaulting another student, getting your team involved, and risking Friday’s match. Is this a joke or do you really not enjoy being team captain?”

“I love my team and I would never purposely put them in danger, but he was asking for it, coach.” Jisung tells him, trying to catch up with the older man when he starts walking towards the end of the hallway, “He was bullying my friend, s-so I just-“

“Punched him?” Coach Park guesses when they finally stop at a tall, grey door, “Because that’s what Hyungmin told me, that you started the actual, physical fight, which, considering your track record, isn’t too hard to believe. It doesn’t matter the reason for it or how it ended, you initiated the fight, broke the other student’s nose, and have put your ability to play in Friday’s game at risk. Luckily, Principal Irene has decided to be lenient so you’re still on the roster, for now. But I think you could use a good reminder as to what’s more important these days. Since you’ve been given the day off, I think you should use it working on what really matters, so you’ll spend the rest of the day practicing with Coach Oh.”

Jisung realizes then that there’s no point in trying to explain himself any further. He wondered what exactly Hyungmin told their coach. A distant part of him hoped that his best friend hadn’t betrayed him by making it seem like Jisung’s anger issues were the reason for the fight. But he knows Hyungmin has no reason to do such a thing and he trusts his friend to have his back, at least when it comes to soccer and dealing with their coach.

“Yes, coach.” He replies quietly. The older man pushes the door open and Jisung steps outside into the early morning heat.

The soccer field is empty, but on the track field next to it, he spots a familiar figure. As Jisung approaches, he feels his mood dampen when he realizes he won’t be able to see Chenle before his brother comes to pick him up. His stomach twists with regret and he can already feel himself frowning.

“What’s with the face? I hear you broke some bully's nose. That’s actually a cause for celebration.” Coach Oh greets him with a grin. Though he’s not on the soccer field, the dark-haired coach is kicking a ball using his knees.

Coach Oh Sehun is a bit more understanding than Coach Park. He’s also only the assistant coach, so Jisung doesn’t get to see him as much. But he always made Jisung feel better with his presence.

“Everyone’s upset because I risked Friday’s game.” Jisung explains, exhaustion from earlier finally catching up with him as he drags his feet on the track.

“I’m not upset with you, and nurse Joy told me to tell you you’ve got a mean right hook when I stopped by the infirmary a few minutes ago.” Coach Oh tells him making Jisung perk up.

“You stopped by the infirmary? Did you see Chenle? Is he okay?” He blurts out before he can help himself, but Coach Oh merely laughs.

“Relax Mr. Knight in shining armor.” The dark-haired man tells him before kicking the soccer ball away, “Coach Park sent me to the infirmary to check on your friend. He was shaken up pretty badly, but he’s really strong because he tried to smile for me even though he’s been through a lot today. I know you’re upset that you’re here and not there, but he’s in good hands. Mina was there with him and his brother showed up before I left.”

Jisung breathes a sigh of relief, feeling much more at ease with the older man’s words.

“Chenle…he’s the best.” He mutters, thinking of bright smiles by Cheonggyecheon, loud laughter, red ears, and the reason he looks forward to cycling on Saturdays, “He’s sweet and bright and he doesn’t deserve to be hurt or humiliated.”

“I believe it.” Coach Oh tells him, “It’s not every day that you get this passionate about a person, Jisung, not since Mina. You seem to really like Chenle. I’m happy you’ve met someone like him. I think he’ll really open your eyes to things you might not have given much consideration to before. It’ll be good for you, Jisung.”

Jisung doesn’t really understand the meaning in Coach Oh’s words, but he feels inspired, nonetheless. He’s also happy to have been given the chance to know Chenle. He thinks the orange-haired boy might be good for him too, like the first hint of sunlight after a rainy day.

“Unfortunately, Coach Park is probably watching us from his office, and he wants you to do early practice but with more reps, starting with ten laps around the track.” Coach Oh informs him.

Jisung stares at the older man, dreading his punishment. He didn’t need to change since he decided to wear his practice uniform for the day, which unfortunately meant that he couldn’t prolong his punishment even if he wanted to. He stands there and pouts at Coach Oh who is quick to give in.

“Fine, I won’t make you do it alone.” He sighs before starting a light jog, grumbling a quiet, “Ah, the cons of having a weak heart.”

Jisung shakes his head, laughing loudly before rushing to catch up with the older man. He falls into step beside Coach Oh and underneath the bright, early morning sun, Park Jisung knows that everything will be just fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I just want to say that I appreciate all of the love this story has gotten so far.
> 
> I know it's weird that they're having prom since this is set in Korea, but it will be explained. Also, I hope it's not offensive that Jisung doesn't take Mina's confession about her crush seriously. It's more so the suddenness of it that makes it seem random/hard to believe. Also, Jisung is pretty clueless when it comes to LGBT (the bracelets, for example) which makes Chenle a good balance for him in this.
> 
> Thank you for reading! ❤


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